Lever type vacuum cap lifter



July 28, 1953 Filed April 5, 1949 J. BELPEDIO LEVER TYPE VACUUM CAPLIFTER 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

LTUELEY EIELFEDIU BY a. L/Jfi ATTUR'NE 1'.

July 28, 1953 J. BELPEDIQ 2,646,705

LEVER TYPE VACUUM CAP LIFTER Filed April 5, 1949 2' Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR.

LIUEEY EELPEDIU A T TURNEY.

Patented July 28, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LEVER TYPE VACUUM CAPLIFTER J obby Belpedio, Bridgeport, Conn.

Application April 5, 1949, Serial No. 85,522

1 Claim. 1

. The present invention relates to an implement for opening jars,bottles, cans, and the like, and has for an object to provide a deviceof this character, preferably formed from a single piece of sheet metalpressed and bent to shape, and which includes means for cooperative engament'with the covers or caps of various sized food and drink containerssuch as are found in the ordinary household kitchen. As is well-knownthe covers or caps of these containers are of various diameters andthicknesses and are held upon the containers by different methods, asfor instance by frictional fit, by inherent springiness of the metal, byscrew threads, etc., and it is usually extremely difficult to removesuch covers or caps with the ordinary implements found in a householdkitchen. It is proposed in the present invention to provide an implementhaving means adapted for quickly and easily removing covers or caps of"various types and diameters, without damage to the container ordistortion of the cover or cap. Further objects are to provideanimplement including means for opening a can by cutting out itsendclosure, and also having means for puncturing the end closure of the canto provide a pouring opening for removal of its contents. 1

' With the above and other objects in view, an embodiment of theinvention is shown in the accompanying drawings, and this embodimentwill be hereinafter more fully described with reference thereto, and theinvention will be finally pointed out in theclaim.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a top plan view of the implement, according to the illustratedexemplary embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation.

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view.

Fig. 4 is a front end view.

- Fig. 5 is a side elevation showing the implement engaged with afriction fit jar cover preparatory to removing it.

Fig. 6 is a similar view, partiallyrin section, showing the cover beingremoved.

Fig. '7 is a side elevation showing the implement in an invertedposition and engaged with a relatively thin cover of a jelly glass orthe like, Dreparatory to removing it.

Fig. 8 shows the implement engaged with a bottle cap preparatory toremoving it.

Fig. 9 shows the implement engaged with a screw cap of a jar preparatoryto removing the cap by unscrewing it.

Similar-reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout theseveral figures of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings the implement, according to the illustratedexemplary embodiment of the invention, is pressed and bent from. a

single piece of relatively heavy gauge sheet metal and comprises alongitudinally extending handle portion In flanged downwardly, as at lllI, along each of its longitudinal side edges for comfort in handling theimplement and for imparting stiffness to it, the handle merging at itsforward end into a widened head portion I2 of substantiallysemi-circular shape in plan outline and having peripheral flangeportions l3 at its rounded side edges merging with the flang portions Hof the handle portion.

The head portion I2 is provided at its forward edge with two prongportions I4 -l4 slightly curved downwardly, as

appear; At each of the side edges of the head portions there areprovided downwardly extending leg portions |5--l5 having inwardly bentfinger portions Iii-I6 inclined downwardly and inwardly to a slightdegree, as indicated in Figs.

2 and 4, the inner ends I! of these fingers being 6. It is pointed outthat the lateral spacing of the fingers l6l6 and the angularity of theedges l'l|'!, as well as the size of the clearance opening I8, are suchthat the implement may be engaged with the covers of jars of variousdiam eters to remove them with equal facility. Several covers of variousdiameters are indicated by the dot-and-dash lines in Fig. 3.

Centrally of the rearward curved edge of the of the opening I8 there isprovided an upwardly bent lug l9, which is adapted for removing thecovers of jelly glasses or the like, where there is no bead beneath therim of the cover to permit the prying ofi of the cover. As clearly shownin Fig. '7, the implement is inverted with the top;

surfaceof the headportion engaging the top of the cover and with theforward edge of the lug l9 engaged beneath the rim. In this position theimplement is effectually locked with the cover and the cover mayberemoved simply by lifting up onthe handle portion of the implement,the substantial area of the head portion [2 engaged with the coverpreventing any possibility of the latter becoming bent or distortedduring the,

removal operation. 1

The clearance opening I 8, by virtue of the corner formations 20-20produced by the formation of thelug 19 also constitutes a bottle capindicated in Fig. 2, and adapted for frictional engagement with the topof a container cover, as will hereinafter more fully;

3 remover, the implement being engaged with the bottle cap, as shown inFig. 8, with the forward straight edge of the clearance opening engagedwith the top of the bottle cap and the corner formations 2i] engagedbeneath the rim of the cap. By lifting upwardly on the handle the bottlecap is easily removed without distorting the cap. As a cooperativefeature of the bottle cap removing means the rearward end of the :handleis provided with a circular pocket portion 2i, adapted to be engagedover a bottlecap to effectually replace it upon the bottle, this pocketpor-- tion being fitted over the bottle cap and thereupon pressedtightly downwardly or hit "with a sharp blow with the palm of the handto reengage the bottle cap upon the bottle.

At an intermediate point of the handle portion I!) there is provided adownwardly projecting can opener blade portion 22, formed by a portionof the metal of the handle portion pierced and bent downwardlytherefrom, this blade portion preferably having a pointed end providedwith sharpened angular cutting edges at each side, so that the blade maybe operated during the cutting operation by movement in eitherdirection. At each side, of the blade 22 notches 23-23 are formed in theflanges HH to .provide guide means for engagement with the rim flange atthe upper end of a can, so that the blade 22 after piercing the endclosure of the can may be guided circumferentially adjacent the inneredge of therim flange. As clearly shown by the dot-and-dash lines in 3the notches engage the circular rim flange at points substan tiallyspaced at each side of the blade and provide guides for turning theimplement to cause the blade to produce a circular cut to-remove the endclosure of the can. The notches are so placed that the blade ispositioned substantially adjacent the rim flange of the can, there beinga slight variationin the spacing of the blade from the rim flange in thecase of variations in the diameter of the can.

At an intermediate point of the handle portion there is provided a cantop perforating portion R formed-by a portionof the metal 'of'the handleportion pierced and bent downwardly therefrom, this perforating portionbeing bent into substantially semi-cylindrical form and having aninclined sharpened cutting surface '25 forming a sharp point for easypiercing of a can top. The portion 2' 1, projects substantially belowthelower edgeof the flanges ii, so that by pressing downwardly on thehandle to cause the portion 2a to perforate the can top, the flanges actas stop means to limit the extent of downward movement of the portion 24into the can.

The operation of the implement is as follows:

In removing a jar cover of the type illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6,wherein the cover is frictionally held in place and a projecting bead isprovided beneath the edge of the cover, the portions iii-16 are engagedbeneath the rim of the cover as shown in Fig. 5, the outer corners ofthe end surfaces H engaging beneath the rim and the edges I? being inposition to bear upon the bead of the jar as a fulcrum. The cover isremoved by pressing the handle downwardly, causing the edge portions iito swing upon the bead of the jar thus prying the cover upwardly. As theedge of the cover swings upwardly it engages in the clearance openingI8. As shown by the dot-anddash lines in Fig. 3 the portions 16 willengage covers of various diameters to remove them in similar manner. Inthe case of relatively thin 4 covers, such as are provided upon jellyglasses and the like, these may be effectually removed by inverting theimplement and engaging the hook portion l9 beneath the rim of the cover,the upper surfaceof the head portion l2 engaging with the upper surfaceof the cover so'as to support it against distortion as the cover isremoved by upward pressure on the handle of the implement.

As shown in Fig. 8 the implement may be used for removing bottle caps byengaging the cap in the clearance opening it with the forward straightedge of the opening pressing upon the upper surface of the cap and thecorner formations zi'i engaging beneath the edge of the cap, the

cap being removed by pressing the handle upwardly. As shown in Fig. 9the implement may be employed for effectually removing screw caps fromjars. For this. purpose the edges of the portion It are engaged in thegroove of the screw thread and the prong portions l4ie are pressedagainst the top. of the cover. Thereupon by a combined. pressureinwardly upon the, handle to press the portions i6 into. the.screwthread, and upward pressure to force the portions l6 upwardlyagainst the underside of the screw thread and at the same time to forcethe prong portions Hi downwardly in frictional engagement with the topof the cover, the cover is firmly gripped so that by turningtheimplemen'twhile still holding these pressures the screw cap is turned tounscrew it from the jar.

The concave edge between the prong portions I i may be eifectuallyemployed for removing a frictionally-hel'd catsup bottle cap or thelike.

I have illustrated and described a preferred and satisfactory embodimentof the invention, but it will be understood that changes may be madetherein, within the spirit and-scope thereof, as defined in the appendedclaim.

What is claimed is:

An implement for removing the covers of jets or-the like,. comprising amember having a longitudinal handleportion and a laterally widened headportion at the. forward end ofv said handle portion provided with -aforward cover-top-engaging edge, said head portion having at each sideof its longitudinal axis a downwardly extending leg portion and a fingerportion extending inwardly from the lower end of said leg portion, eachfinger portion terminating in 'a forwardly inclined edge extending awayfrom the longitudinal axis for engagement. beneath apart of the rim of acovergsaid leg and finger portions being rearwardly of saidcover-top-engaging "edge, and said head portion. having a clearanceopening including a forward edge forwardly of said finger portions and arearward edgeJoverlying said linger portions adjacent its ends andextending rearwardly from said finger portions to clear the rim of acover pried upwardly by said finger portions.

J OBEY BELPEDIO.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 86 L378 Ives Aug. 27, 1907 2;03'1,420 'Lebherz Feb. 18, 19362,323,621 Penney July 6, 1943 2,501,204 Boucher- Mar. 21, 1950 2,501,205Bou'cner Mar. 21, 1950 2,545,979 Tregear Mar. 20, 1951

